The personal essay--or its alternate "creative nonfiction"--is the most elastic, all-accommodating and ancient of literary pursuits. It dates back to the Romans, and hasn't stopped reinventing itself since. From memoir to meditation to review to travelogue to diatribe to monologue to elegy to character sketch to reportage to prose poem to column, it's the ultimate shape-shifter of literature, and arguably more user-friendly for students than the short story or novel.
In this creative nonfiction workshop, we'll write short weekly prompts exploring various aspects of the form. What makes for great creative nonfiction? An engaging voice, a story to tell, a quirky sensibility, curiosity, candor, style, and a willingness to dig into the self and leave it all on the page. There will be opportunities for students to bring in their own work, and group discussions of readings from great CNF writers past and present.
The workshop in general is conceived as a supportive, illuminating, entertaining and provocative environment in which to develop narrative skills and ideas.
The instructor, Roxanne Snider, is a published writer with an MFA in creative writing, who has taught at the University of Toronto's Continuing Education. Her teachers include Barbara Gowdy, Amy Hempel and Sven Birkerts.
More info...
Cost: $350., $400 after September 5
Contact: rs2459@gmail.com
Bloor St. United Church
300 Bloor St West
Toronto, ON M9B 6B7